Friday Finds | December 19, 2014

FRIDAY FINDS showcases the books you ‘found’ and added to your To Be Read (TBR) list. Weekly event hosted by Should be Reading. The following are books that I was given ARC copies through NetGalley throughout the past two weeks.

Publication Date: February 3, 2015

Hayden Mundy Moore is an expert on everything chocolate, helping clients develop new products and revamp recipes until they’re irresistible. But sometimes, a dash of murder finds its way into the mix. . .

Hayden Mundy Moore has bushwhacked through African jungles and haggled in exotic markets to find the finest cacao beans and the most flavorful blends. It’s thrilling work but rarely dangerous–until a colleague turns up dead at the exclusive chocolate-themed Lemaître resort spa in San Francisco.

Adrienne Dowling’s heart attack is blamed on an accidental overdose of the secret ingredient used in Lemaître Chocolates’ new line. Hayden can’t believe that conscientious Adrienne would make that mistake. And between chocolate body scrubs, cocoa mud baths, and a non-stop frenzy of chocolate-based treats, Hayden starts to suspect that she, not Adrienne, was the intended target. Finding a killer among the rival chocolatiers and potential suspects won’t just be satisfying–it might save her life. . .

Publication Date: January 16, 2015

Thirty years of family secrets. Three generations of women. One family heirloom that could change everything.

When she ran away from her childhood home in Guyana, Rika swore that she would never return. Cut off from her family, she has fought hard to make a life for herself and daughter, Inky, in London.

Now, over thirty years later, Rika’s cantankerous, wheelchair-bound mother, Dorothea, arrives in London. But as old wounds re-open, Dorothea and Rika are further apart than ever.

Inky soon learns that her grandmother is sitting on a small fortune. As she uncovers the secrets of the past one by one, she unravels the tragedy that tore her mother and grandmother apart. But nothing can prepare her, or Rika, for Dorothea’s final, unexpected revelation.

An epic, mesmerizing tale of tragic loss, the strength of words left unspoken, and the redeeming power of love.

Publication Date: February 25, 2015

Prince Stephen came to America to escape responsibility. But what he found complicates his life more than ever.

Corina Del Rey is happy with her life in Melbourne, Florida. She spends her days engrossed in her career as a journalist and has her sights set on climbing the corporate ladder if for no other reason, to distract herself from her dissolving family. But when she is confronted with the past she fought so hard to put behind her, she struggles to make sense of her future.

Prince Stephen of Brighton Kingdom has moved on since the tragic death of his buddies in Afghanistan. A star professional rugby player, he has no intention of looking over his shoulder at what could ve been.

But when a notice arrives in the mail requiring his and his wife s appearance before the courts to dissolve their marriage, he must deal with the questions rumbling around in his heart. He thought his marriage had been annulled long ago, but his memories of Corina Del Rey remain close. Does he still love her? Can he even find her? Above all, can he tell her the truth about that fateful night in Afghanistan seven years ago? If he does, he might really lose her forever.

Publication Date: October 28, 2014

In the golden land of Malibu the sun is hot, the ocean breeze is crisp, and the brides are deranged! Dealing with four demanding clients, Megan Waters thought her job as a wedding planner would involve romance and eternal bliss. Instead her profession has been causing drama, outrageousness, and has made Megan reach for the aspirin bottle in her top drawer more than once. Along with her business partner Sasha, Megan runs Happily Ever After – a company that helps brides create the most amazing weddings that their gold card toting selves could dream up and pay for. With a small but devoted staff Megan runs into contact with everything from poison ivy covered bridesmaids to exploding wedding cakes. At this rate Megan is going to need a tranquilizer shot…

Publication Date: March 18, 2014

When Santa Claus is a cop, you better watch out.

It’s not looking like a very merry Christmas for San Diego cop Nick Pappas. Suspended from his job, alienated from his family, and persecuted by the press, he’s sorely tempted to turn his gun on himself. Except for his first name, he couldn’t possibly have less in common with jolly old St. Nicholas. But when a local mall decides it needs a secret Santa to help collar some vicious muggers preying on its holiday shoppers, Nick’s persuaded to red-suit up so as to take the naughty punks down and avert a ho-ho homicide. For a chance to bust bad guys, Nick’s willing to deal with crying kids, pushy parents, and a chronically cheerful “elf” sidekick. But the biggest challenge for this cop-turned-Claus is one that would confound even the real Kris Kringle: making a pair of next-to-impossible Christmas wishes come true for two children in need…before it’s too late.

Publication Date: April 14, 2015

Business as usual for mid-century modern interior decorator Madison Night involves a rundown ranch restoration and endorsing a set of retro paint colors. But when an investigation into a string of recent abductions turns up a murder vic, and evidence at the scene links the flirtatious Lt. Tex Allen to the crime, Madison’s priorities shift faster than she can say “Doris Day.”

Voluntary suspension keeps Tex off the case, and pesky reporters force him to live in his car. Madison’s own life is complicated by the return of her hunky handyman and her new demanding client. She immerses herself in routine, but suspects come out of the freshly-painted woodwork. When seemingly unrelated events lead back to the abductions, she exposes a secondary agenda, a copycat crime, and a vengeful plot to destroy someone she loves.

Publication Date: October 10, 2014

Amy Maxwell’s got four kids, a useless husband and crusted applesauce on her yoga pants that haven’t seen the inside of a gym in over a decade. She’s convinced her teenage daughter is up to no good, her ten year old can’t stop chattering in her ear and her oldest son has befriended a teenaged boy twice his age who is a little weird. And don’t even get her started on having a toddler when you’re in your late thirties. She just can’t keep up. Forget tired; she’s exhausted and feeling unfulfilled, dissatisfied and like a disappointment to everyone; her kids, her parents and most of all, herself.

To relieve her stress, Amy finds herself fantasizing about everything from the pool boy next door to finding out that her daughter was switched at birth. She can’t help her thoughts, but she figures, if they’re in her head, they can’t hurt anyone else, right? When Jason, a very sexy forty something year old single father moves in across the street, Amy finds her fantasy world has gone into overdrive. When Amy and her 13 year old daughter stumble upon the body of their neighbor, shot to death in her living room, Amy finds herself thrown together with Jason in the most unpredictable way. Amy finds herself bumbling around Jason, trying desperately to stop her fantasies and her underlying attraction towards him as this who done it mystery slowly unfolds. And Amy soon realizes, nobody is who she thinks they are…even Amy herself.

19 hours agoby LifewithjoyblogYesterday was ‘National Let’s Laugh Day’! Laughter is a vital indicator that you’re loving and living your best life. Two of my favorite ways to find laughter is by cracking open a new fun girly book or watching a funny movie. What are some of your favorite Rom-Com’s? #livinglifewithjoy

1 week agoby LifewithjoyblogI was a Girl Scout all the way through to the point where it wasn’t still “cool” to care and do good. In high school I earned my Silver and Gold Awards and became a lifelong member. All joking aside about cookies, I think it’s so important to support female entrepreneurs with a goal in mind and a hustle in their step to make it happen. Even if you can’t buy cookies because you’ll demolish them in one sitting, think about donating a couple of dollars to the troop to support their group goals. That’s what my mom does and

2 weeks agoby LifewithjoyblogDry shampoo was a life saver for me yesterday! I haven’t used it in a while but knew it would do the trick. After sharing a photo on my insta story @kloraneusa told me that today is #nationaldryshampooday Do you use dry shampoo to save your style on the go?

Meta

February is here and that means that Valentine’s Day is around the corner! One of my favorite ways to spend time is reading and if you follow my blog you likely already know that romantic comedies are one of my favorite genres. A fun flirty novel is the perfect way to get in the mood […]

Like this:

One of my favorite things about being a blogger is the amazing opportunities provided to me to connect with my favorite authors. Today I’m excited to share my review on the latest book by Nikki LeClair called ‘Cats, Chaos, and Condo Board Wars’. Read on to find out why I loved the novel and then […]

Like this:

Today I’m sharing my review on Addison Cole’s latest book in the ‘Sweet with Heat’ Bayside series. Sweet Escape at Bayside is the fourth in the Bayside series and this time we focus on Violet’s story. She’s fierce and feisty but has a heart of gold. Read on to find out why I loved this […]

Like this:

Holy smokes! February is almost over and just like that, we’re two months into 2019! January took it’s sweet time but February was gone in a hot second. I could lie and say February was a busy month for me hence the lack of blogging but in reality it was probably one of my laziest […]